'Doctor Who' fans ready for 50th anniversary special

From left, William Hartnell was the first actor to play The Doctor on BBC (1963-1966); and Matt Smith is the 11th actor to star in "Doctor Who" (2009-2013).BBC

A "Who's Who" is usually a list of important people.

And for fans of a certain long-running British science-fiction show, there is nothing more important than "Doctor Who."

Eleven actors have played the Doctor on the BBC series, which celebrates its 50th anniversary on Nov. 23. The show will welcome a 12th Doctor in December when Matt Smith departs and Peter Capaldi takes on the role.

While opinions vary on which actor was the best Doctor, fans’ dedication to the show itself seems to never waiver. And many will gather to celebrate the benchmark by watching “The Day of the Doctor,” a 75-minute special episode made for the anniversary.

While some fans will view the episode in 3D in select movie theaters, most will be watching at home. Some “Whovians” are even holding parties surrounding the event.

One of these fans is Jeffrey Zyra, originally from Westfield, but who now lives in South Windsor, Conn.

Zyra maintains a blog about the show, The Knights Blog of Doctor Who and Science Fiction News at kotwg.blogspot.com

“I’m hosting a ‘Doctor Who’ party at my house and having a few friends over to watch ‘Doctor Who’ DVDs and then watch the 50th Anniversary Special ‘The Day of The Doctor’ during the worldwide simulcast,” Zyra said. “Should be a fun time enjoying watching the old stories to build up the excitement for the special.”

Zyra attributes the show’s longevity to several factors.

“I think the fact that the show stays fresh,” he said. “When The Doctor regenerates and a new actor takes on the role of The Doctor, you get to see a new take on the character and you in essence start over again watching the show with the new. It also is a show with a lot of charm that just grabs your attention.”

Zyra is also a member of a local Doctor Who fan club, Knights of the White Guardian, which refers to a character that appeared on the show back in the 1970s and 1980s. The club was founded by John S. Courtney of Chicopee, along with his sister, in 1987. The club is the longest-running Doctor Who fan club in New England.

“I started watching ‘Doctor Who’ just a few weeks after my 13th birthday. I was a ‘Star Wars’ generation kid so I loved anything with robots and spaceships,” Courtney said. “Initially, my dad was the person in the house watching the show, but it wasn’t long before the whole family got hooked. By the end of the year I was a die hard ‘Whovian.’ I had even traveled to Boston to attend my first ‘Doctor Who’ convention.”

Courtney said the show appeals to a wide range of people for different reasons.

“For me it has just the right chemistry of light science fiction, mystery and horror. The character of the Doctor appeals to children and the inner child in every adult. He’s sort of a mix between Sherlock Holmes and Willy Wonka. He can be brilliant, lovable and even frightening all at the same time,” Courtney said. “In the more recent episodes the Doctor’s relationship with his companions has been brought to the forefront. I think this appeals to the ‘Twilight’ crowd, a lot of young women have become fans of the show since it returned to television eight years ago.”

One raging debate that has followed the show for years is the one over which actor has been the best Doctor. Zyra and Courtney shared their thoughts on the subject.

“Peter Davison, the fifth Doctor, is my favorite Doctor, Zyra said. “When the show first aired in the Springfield area we got to see Tom Baker a lot and that was mainly the only Doctor Who episodes we got. Then they got the other Doctor’s stories and I really enjoyed Peter Davison and felt a connection because in one story he played cricket and I played baseball and sports so really felt that sports/athletic connection and that was one of the factors, since I am a big sports fan.”

Courtney disagreed.

“My favorite Doctor is the third, portrayed by the late Jon Pertwee. Jon’s Doctor had class, a sort of masculine flamboyance you don’t see anymore,” Courtney said. “He played the Doctor in the early 1970s and dressed like Austin Powers back when that look was actually popular in the U.K. The third Doctor could be arrogant and disrespectful but he also had a protective, heroic side that I think is essential to character. His stories hold up very well, despite their age.”